Comic Strips

In the past couple weeks or so, I haven’t been forging ahead on my sewing projects during my morning breaks and my lunches at work. I got to a point where there wasn’t anything to do but sew, and I didn’t feel comfortable bringing everything to work. There were too many things to keep track of and not enough time to get much accomplished in those 45 minutes per day. So, I went back to reading at work and here and there writing a blog entry. Something occurred as a result that I never imagined would happen…..I suddenly felt like reading was a waste of time!! I had so thoroughly enjoyed spending what small time I had during the work day creating something, that I found as the days went by I wished for something else to do besides read. After years of adoring the very act of reading itself in addition to the stories, I felt myself getting restless and feeling unproductive with just a book in my hand.

I realize, of course, this is insane!! However, as I said I’ve spent years and years and years reading, so right now I need to continue to pursue other creative outlets to keep the juices flowing and my mind from drying up. I’ve decided to draw out a few comic strips which I came up with a little while ago. They aren’t related to each other in any way, but are just thoughts I’ve had or an idea that popped into my head. I have no idea where this will go, if anywhere, but I need to draw them so I can complete them rather than keep them half-finished as words in a journal.

On Friday, I printed out a template Shawn and I found online which has four panels at the top of the page and two bigger ones at the bottom. I just needed something that already had the panels, so I wouldn’t have to worry about that step and could just draw the strips. However, I started Thursday night by drawing a bathroom in a small sketchbook I’ve been using for various things. I sat on the floor in front of ours and intended on trying to duplicate it, only it didn’t quite work out that way. I didn’t feel I would have enough room for a shower, toilet and sink so I used my creative license and made it “any” bathroom.


I was shocked and excited to find how quickly I accomplished it and how good it looked. I was actually happy with the outcome and thought it was pretty spiffy for someone as green as I am to drawing. Now, this isn’t bragging, AT ALL, and here’s why! When I set out on Friday to start drawing in the pre-printed panels, the other thing I discovered was that my fear was gone!! I drew a comic strip for an Art & Story contest some time back (see below), and when I set out to do it I was so scared and nervous with each step….the writing, the drawing, and the inking……that I was uncomfortable the entire time. But when I sat down to do another comic strip, I just jumped right in without a worry or a concern. I had gained confidence simply by drawing by hand the patterns for my sewing projects, working on each part that wasn’t quite right, erasing and perfecting until as a whole it was how I wanted it. This small amount of experience banished my fear and anxiety over drawing to such a degree, that I had no more qualms. Now, I’m not saying I’m super confident and I’ll be wowing anyone with what I draw, but it was a thrilling feeling to put pencil to paper to draw something and feel comfortable and at ease with it.


My plan is to do these strips at work during my breaks and then go back and forth between my sewing projects and drawing at home. I’ll put everything up here, morphing my demonals site into much more than what I originally thought it would be. Who knew I’d have this much stuff to put up on the web!!